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'The hottest commodity in town': The quest for Jamie Oliver knives

Some Sobeys stores have trouble keeping the coveted knives in stock.

Devoted customers line up for Holy Grail of kitchen cooking utensils

Debbie Robbins managed to get a chef's knife from a newly-stocked Jamie Oliver knife display at Sobeys in St. John's Wednesday. (Stephanie Tobin/CBC)

A group of eager shoppers crowded around a stand at a local grocery store Wednesday, awaiting the "hottest commodity in town."

Debbie Robbins was amongst the group of Jamie Oliver stamp-collecting shoppers, as the Sobeys store on Kelsey Drive put out a new shipment of knives.

"I have a knife!" Robbins said. "I have the very, very much coveted Jamie Oliver knife."

The knife promotion at Sobeys is so popular that some stores have been running out.

In an email response Friday afternoon, a spokesperson said more knives are on order and they "will continue do our best to meet the customer demand."

The promotion offers customers a stamp for each $10 spent at the store. Once they collect enough, they can earn free knives.

"I saved my stamps and I was fortunate enough yesterday to hit Kelsey Drive Sobeys right at the time that the shipment was being unpacked and I got my knife," Robbins said.

Robbins picked up the chef's knife, and is hoping to get a carving knife next.

Jamie Oliver knives have been flying off the shelves as collectors cash in their promotion stamps. (Stephanie Tobin/CBC)

During her trip to the store, Robbins said she did see one frustrated customer, who has been saving and waiting to get a free knife.

"There seems to be more stamps than knives," she said.

For anyone questioning what the hype is about, Robbins said it's a good quality product.

With files from Carolyn Stokes